Blank sheet feeding device

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press is characterized by including a plurality of interconnected sheet feed racks which are reciprocably carried on a supporting framework for the racks to be horizontally moved in unison relatively to the framework and into and out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press. Movably mounted pusher and restrainer means are provided for pushing sheets away from locations on rearward portions of the racks to locations on forward portions of the racks, and for occupying a given position wherein to restrain sheets disposed on rearward portions of the racks to move from the racks into a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of the racks out of multiple stages of a multiple stage hot press. Positioning means in the apparatus includes movable stops for the stops in a given position to restrain sheets disposed on forward portions of the racks to move from the racks onto a multistage hot press during horizontal movement of the racks out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press while the pusher and restrainer means in a given position restrains sheets on rearward portions of the racks to move from the racks onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter.

United States Patent Yamauchi May 23, 1972 [54] BLANK SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Primary EXami'IerEv0n Blunk Assistant Examiner-Bruce H. Stoner, Jr. [72] Inventor: Toshio Yamauchi, Nagoya, Japan Atmmey ]ohn Armemrout [73] Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Meikiseisakusho,

Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken, Japan [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Sept. 15, 1970 Apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press is characterized by including a plurality of interconnected sheet PP NOJ 72,252 feed racks which are reciprocably carried on a supporting framework for the racks to be horizontally moved in unison [30] Foreign Application Priority Dam relatively to the framework and into and out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press. Movably mounted pusher and P |9v Japan -44/74896 restrainer means are provided for pushing sheets away from locations on rearward portions of the racks to locations on forl 52] U.S. Cl ..2l4/l6.6, 100/ l 96 ard ortions of th racks, and for occupying a given position 1 1 13658 65/02 wherein to restrain sheets disposed on rearward portions of [58] Field of Search ..271/54, 42; 100/93 P, 196; h racks t ov from the racks into a multistage hot press 214/16-6 within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of the racks out of multiple stages of a multiple stage hot [56] References Cited press. Positioning means in the apparatus includes movable stops for the stops in a given position to restrain sheets UNITED STATES PATENTS disposed on forward portions of the racks to move from the 2,344,923 3/1944 Robinson .2 1 4/1 6.6 racks onto a multistage hot press during horizontal movement 2,728,468 12/1955 Siempelkamp ....214/16.6 of the racks out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press 3,389,652 6/1968 Bruder et a1. ..lO0/l96 X while the pusher and restrainer means in a given position 739,478 9/1903 Bisbee "100/196 X restrains sheets on rearward portions of the racks to move 2,599,693 6/1952 from the racks onto a multistage hot press within multiple Chapman "214/166 stages of the latter.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEnmvza [872 3.664, 524

sum 1 OF 2 ENTOR T ORNE PATENTEBmmzs m2 3.664.524

mm 2 OF 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY BLANK SHEET FEEDING DEVICE The present invention relates to a blank sheet feeding device for a multistage hot press, more particularly to a blank sheet feeding device for feeding a plurality of blank sheets simultaneously and for accordingly bringing a multiplicity of blank sheets or a single blank sheet of very large size into accurate position on each hot plate of the press.

In recent years, there has been a trend toward making board products of very large size. Consequently, the size of the hot plate press, together with that of the raw material feeding device therefor, often are required to be relatively large. However, a hot plate press of large size should be capable of treating in a proper manner not only a board product of large size but also a number of board products of small size on a given hot plate of the press. In maintaining feed to a hot plate press capable of treating board products of largest size, it is desirable to place quickly and accurately on simultaneous feed a number of blank sheets on the hot plates of the press, and a large number of devices have been invented in the past for that purpose. However, the prior art is without a feed device which furthermore places two or more relatively small blank sheets accurately in desired positions on each hot plate of a multistage hot press at one time. The present invention serves to provide the last-mentioned feature, while also enabling feed of a relatively large single sheet instead to a given hot plate of the press and accurate positioning of that sheet on the hot plate.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a blank sheet feeding device for automatically feeding blank sheets to be treated to a multistage hot press, such as blank sheets for hard boards, and such as one by one from a supply source, and thus placing two or more blank sheets accurately, quickly and simultaneously on each hot plate within the hot press.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide positioning means for blank sheets and thus provide one or more pairs of movable positioning or blocking or stop members suited to be extended in pair or pairs into spaces between hot plates in a corresponding stage of a multistage hot press so as to position a blank sheet or sheets accurately in desired position on the hot plate.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided blank sheet feeding apparatus for use with a hot press of multistage type, the apparatus comprising a plurality of interconnected sheet feed racks reciprocally carried on a supporting framework for the racks to be moved horizontally moved in unison relatively to the framework and into and out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press. Further, movably mounted pusher and restrainer means are provided for pushing sheets away from locations on rearward portions of the racks to locations on forward portions of the racks, and for occupying a given position wherein to restrain sheets disposed on rearward portions of the racks to move from the racks onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of the racks out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press, and the apparatus also has positioning means including movable stops for the stops in given positions to restrain sheets on forward portions of the racks to move from the racks onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of the racks out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press while the pusher and restrainer means in a given position restrains sheets on rearward portions of the racks to move from the racks onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the. latter.

A feature of the present invention resides in that blank sheets can be first placed on each of the blank sheet feeding racks exactly in desired position and then placed on the hot plates in the hot press accurately in predetermined position by inserting each of the blank sheet feeding racks holding the blank sheets thereon into the space between two adjacent hot plates. In addition, blank sheets, or material to be treated, can be placed in a row accurately on a hot plate of each stage according to the present invention.

Now, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail by way of example hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,

FIG. 1 is a front view showing blank sheet feeding and positioning apparatus interrelated with a multistage hot press,

FIG. 2 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 1,

FIG. 2A is a detail front view showing a portion of the positioning means which flanks the hot press, and

FIGS. 3 to 7 are views representing stages of the operation of the blank sheet feeding and positioning apparatus illustrated in the preceding figures of the drawing.

Now, referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the accompanying drawing, a multistage hot press 31 is associated with a blank sheet feeding device 32 fed from a blank sheet supply source 33. A pit 34 is provided in the ground between the hot press 31 and the blank sheet supply source 33. An upright framework 2. having four legs is slidably mounted on guide members 35 provided on a base structure (not shown) on top of the pit 34. A skeleton framework 1 of hexahedral shape is fixedly mounted within the upright framework 2 and supported on four piston rod members 36 connected thereto in the bottom portion thereof. Lower ends of the piston rod members 36 are connected to piston members (not shown) in hydraulic cylinders 15, 15a. The framework 1 can be raised and lowered vertically by means of the hydraulic cylinders 15, 15a while guided by the upright framework 2, so as to be held at a desired level. The framework 1 is provided with wheels 3, 3a in the lower portion thereof so as to enable the blank sheet feeding device 32 to be moved toward and away from the hot press 31. A blank sheet feeding rack unit 4, comprising a plurality of racks 40, is rectilinearly movably mounted within the framework 1. Each blank sheet feeding rack 40 includes several rod members 41, notably four in FIG. 2, extending horizontally toward a corresponding stage of the hot press 31 and connected at ends remote from the hot press by means of a support beam 6 so as to form a sort of comb. A number of these comb-like feeding racks 40 are superimposed one above the other and connected together on both sides by means of connecting rods 5, 5a to form integrally the blank sheet feeding rack unit 4. The spacing of these comb-like feeding racks corresponds to that of hot plates within the hot press so that the comb-like feeding racks can be inserted into spaces between hot plates within the hot press when the framework 1 is raised upwardly to achieve proper alignment. The rods 41 in each feeding rack 40 are slidably supported on a lateral support member la on the lefthand end of the framework 1 as viewed in FIG. 1. Wheels 10 are mounted on the connecting rods 5, 5a at the lower ends thereof so as to enable the blank sheet feeding rack unit 4 to be moved horizontally within the framework 1. The connecting rods 5, 5a are connected at the upper ends thereof to endless chains 9, 9a which are entrained around pairs of sprocket wheels 8, 8a mounted on the framework 1 by means of brackets 7, 7a. Therefore, the blank sheet feeding rack unit 4 can be moved horizontally toward and away from the hot press 31 by the action of running the endless chains 9, 9a.

A pair of rail members 11, 11a are fixedly mounted within the upright framework 2 in the upper part thereof. A pair of push rods 12, are supported on the rail members 11, 11a by means of rollers 13 and depend from the latter. The push rods 12, 12a can be moved by means of a conventional chain drive or hydraulic jacks, both of which are not shown. Both side push rods 12, 12a are connected together by means of a cross-bar 12b and are provided respectively with pusher fingers 14, 14a which are located to slide along the blank sheet feeding racks 40 in each stage corresponding to each hot plate in the hot press.

The blank sheet supply means 33 comprises a support table 17 for supporting a stack of blank sheets, and a pusher rod 16 for pushing an uppermost blank sheet from the pile of blank sheets. The support table 17 is made adjustable such that the upper surface thereof can be raised up to desired level. The pusher rod 16 is reciprocated horizontally by suitable driving means such as an endless chain 16a.

The hot press 31 is provided with a cover member 18, multiple stage hot plate supporters 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, l8e and 18f, and a pair of hydraulic jack means 19, 19a for actuating the hot press. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, blank sheet positioning means 22A provided on opposite sides of the hot press 31 for use when blank sheets are to be loaded on one or more of the hot plates in a plurality of rows comprises pairs of positioning or blocking bars 22, 22a united with vertical rods 21, 21a which are in turn mounted respectively on a pair of piston rods 20, 20a protruding from a pair of jack means 42, 42a. The blank sheet positioning means 22A, to compensate for differences in size of sheets, may be moved in a direction of insertion of the blank sheet into the hot press by suitabledriving means not shown.

In operation, a stack of blank sheets or material to be treated is placed on the supply table 17 at the blank sheet supply source 33 as shown in FIG. 3. The framework 1 is lowered into the pit 34 such as from the FIG. 1 position until the lower surface of the uppermost blank sheet on the stack becomes flush with the upper surface of the uppermost one of blank sheet feeding racks 41 in the unit 4. The uppermost blank sheet on the supply table 17 then is transferred to the uppermost blank sheet feeding rack by motion of the pusher rod 16 of the blank sheet supply means 33 to the left from the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

After the blank sheet is loaded on the uppermost feeding rack 41, the framework 1 is raised so as to have pusher rod 16 load a blank sheet on the next upper feeding rack 41. When all the feeding racks 41 are loaded with blank sheets, the latter are moved on their respective racks to a desired position by propelling the push rods 12, 12a to the left. Then, the blank sheet feeding rack unit 4 is propelled in a direction shown by an arrowhead A in FIG. 1 by driving lower flights of the pair of endless chains 9, 9a in a direction of the same arrowhead, until the blank sheet comes to a point slightly short of the predetermined position on the hot plate. The pair of vertically depending push rods 12, 12a are propelled in parallel with the blank sheet feeding rack unit 4, as the latter is moved to the left. The blank sheets which have been stopped on the feeding racks as described hereinabove are now displaced to a desired final position thereon by action of the horizontal pusher fingers 14, 14a provided on the pusher rods 12, 12a. By this time, the blank sheets, which have previously been treated in the press, will have been pushed out of the hot plates by the tip ends of the blank sheet feeding racks 41. Then, when the blank sheet feeding rack unit 4 by retraction is moving away from the hot press 31 with the pusher fingers 14, 14a withheld in stopped condition, the blank sheets will be moved onto the hot plates from the blank sheet feeding racks accurately to a desired position.

An example of operation in which a single blank sheet is placed on the hot plate has been described hereinabove. However, blank sheets also can be placed easily on the plates in a plurality of rows according to the present invention. The operation ofloading the blank sheets on the hot plate in a plurality of rows will be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. Blank sheets 23 are loaded on the blank sheet feeding racks 41 in unit 4 from the blank sheet supply means 33 in the same manner as in the case of loading a single blank sheet. Then, the blank sheets 23 on all of the feeding racks are propelled to forward positions as represented in FIG. 4 by action of the pushing rods 12, 12a. Thereafter, the framework 1 will be lowered and the pushing rods 12, 12a retreated. Then, a group of blank sheets 24 are loaded on the feeding racks 41 in unit 4 from the supply means 33 and pushed along the feeding racks 41 accurately to a desired position by means of the pushing rods 12, 12a as represented in FIG. 5. Following that, the blank sheet feeding rack unit 4 is inserted into the spaces between hot plates in the hot press and the blank sheet blocking bars or stops 22, 22a are introduced between the blank sheets 23 and 24 by action of the jack means 42, 42a. Although only a pair of blank sheet positioning means 22, 22a are shown in the accompanying drawings, a plurality of pairs of positioning means may be provided, should the number of blank sheets to be placed on the hot plate be increased. As shown in FIG. 6, the pusher fingers 14, 14a are located behind the blank sheet 24 in the same manner as in case of the single blank sheet being placed on a feeding rack 40. When the blank sheet feeding rack unit 4 is retracted from the position shown in FIG. 6, blank sheets in a plurality of rows such as the blank sheet 23 and 24 are placed on the hot plates accurately in predetermined position as shown in FIG. 7.

The blank sheet feeding device according to the present invention may be used also in the following manner. When the blank sheet feeding rack unit 4 in the FIG. 5 position is carrying two blank sheets 23, 24 thereon and being supported on the support members 1a of the framework 1 at the forward ends of the feeding racks 41, and then is inserted into the hot press to a desired position, all of the blank sheet positioning bars 22, 22a are introduced simultaneously between blank sheets 23 and 24 as shown in FIG. 6. From this condition, the feeding rack unit 4 is retracted and the pusher rods 12, 12a together with pusher fingers 14, 14a are forwardly driven. By this action, the blank sheets 23 are blocked by the positioning bars 22, 22a in the predetermined position and the blank sheets 24 are pushed to the left by means of the pusher fingers 14, 14a until they are abutted against the positioning bars 22, 22a. That is to say, two blank sheets 23, 24 will be located on the hot plate with the positioning bars 22 and 22a placed in the center line. This means that two blank sheets can be placed automatically on the hot plate in the central position thereof if the positioning bars 22, 22a are suitably located on the hot plate, thereby permitting a centered loading of the blank sheets for pressing operations to be achieved. In this manner, off-center loading of the blank sheets may be obviated, leading away from non-uniform loading on stay members of the hot press, broken stays, or finished products having non-uniform thickness or uneven adhesion.

Although a vertically movable framework 1 has been shown in FIG. 1, the framework 1 may for example instead be fixed in terms of vertical direction and constructed such that the blank sheets may be supplied thereinto in a direction at to that shown in FIG. 1. If a blank sheet is inserted into the feeding racks from either of opposite lateral sides of the framework 1, in this case, the blank sheet supply means may for example be lifted and lowered.

As described hereinabove, a feature of the blank sheet feeding racks being movable to protrude into and be withdrawn from the hot press has been incorporated in the present invention, and the pushing rods 12, 12a and pusher fingers 14, 14a furthermore serve as retention means for a group of blank sheets during retraction of the blank sheet feeding racks, while the blocking or stop members 22, 22a serve to retain another group of blank sheets, assuming that two blank sheets are being loaded onto a hot plate. Accordingly, two important functions of the fingers 14 and 14a, that is, pushing and retaining of blank sheets, are effectively achieved, and additional blank sheets may be placed on the same hot plates to form rows by the supplemental use of blank sheet positioning means 22A on the hot press.

As many possible embodiments of the invention may be made and as many possible changes may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore set forth, it will be distinctly understood that all matter described herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not as a limitation.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination which includes, a plurality of interconnected sheet feed racks reciprocably carried on a supporting framework for said racks to be horizontally moved in unison relatively to said framework and into and out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press, movably mounted pusher and restrainer means for pushing sheets away from locations on rearward portions of said racks to locations on forward portions of said racks, and for occupying a given position wherein to restrain sheets disposed on rearward portions of said racks to move from said racks onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of said racks out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press, and positioning means including movable stops for said stops in a given position to restrain sheets disposed on forward portions of said racks to move from said racks onto a multistage hot preSS within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of said racks out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press while said pusher and restrainer means in given position restrains sheets on rearward portions of said racks to move from said racks onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter.

2. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pusher and restrainer means includes pusher and restrainer units each associated with a corresponding one of said racks, and carrier structure mounted on said framework for carrying said pusher and restrainer units to move sheets on said racks, said pusher and restrainer units as carried having attainable positions leading inside multiple stages of a multistage hot press thus for said pusher and restrainer units and said stops to restrain sheets on said racks to move onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of said racks out of a multistage hot press.

3. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said carrier structure includes a system of sprockets rotatably mounted on said framework and endless chains engaged with said sprockets and with said pusher and restrainer units for carrying said pusher and restrainer units to move sheets on said racks, said pusher and restrainer units as carried having attainable positions leading inside multiple stages of a multistage hot press thus for said pusher and restrainer units and said stops to restrain sheets on said racks to move onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of said racks out of a multistage hot press.

4. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said framework is vertically movably carried supporting said racks and said pusher and restrainer means for bringing each of said racks successively into a loading station and vertically moving said racks into alignment with multiple stages of a multistage hot press, and there being sheet stack elevating and horizontal feed means for elevating a stack of sheets and feeding sheets generally horizontally ofi the top of the stack onto said successive racks in said loading station.

5. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said framework carries said pusher and restrainer means and is vertically movably carried for aligning said racks horizontally with multiple stages of a multistage hot press and for said pusher and restrainer means as carried to move sheets on said racks and have attainable positions leading inside multiple stages of a multistage hot press thus for said pusher and restrainer means and said stops to restrain sheets on said racks to move onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of said racks out of a multistage hot press.

6. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 5 having sheet stack elevating and horizontal feed means for elevating a stack of sheets and feeding sheets generally horizontally ofi the top of the stack onto successive ones of said racks presented to said sheet stack elevating and horizontal feed means in corresponding vertical positions of said vertically movably carried framework.

7. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said positioning means includes a pair of stops for each of a plurality of stages of a multistage hot press for each pair of said stops to be moved into a stage of a multistage hot press and engage opposite end portions of the rearward edge of a sheet forward on one of said racks for restraining a sheet to move onto a multistage hot press during horizontal movement of said rack away from a stage of a multistage h ot p ress. 

1. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination which includes, a plurality of interconnected sheet feed racks reciprocably carried on a supporting framework for said racks to be horizontally moved in unison relatively to said framework and into and out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press, movably mounted pusher and restrainer means for pushing sheets away from locations on rearward portions of said racks to locations on forward portions of said racks, and for occupying a given position wherein to restrain sheets disposed on rearward portions of said racks to move from said racks onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of said racks out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press, and positioning means including movable stops for said stops in a given position to restrain sheets disposed on forward portions of said racks to move from said racks onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of said racks out of multiple stages of a multistage hot press while said pusher and restrainer means in given position restrains sheets on rearward portions of said racks to move from said rAcks onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter.
 2. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pusher and restrainer means includes pusher and restrainer units each associated with a corresponding one of said racks, and carrier structure mounted on said framework for carrying said pusher and restrainer units to move sheets on said racks, said pusher and restrainer units as carried having attainable positions leading inside multiple stages of a multistage hot press thus for said pusher and restrainer units and said stops to restrain sheets on said racks to move onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of said racks out of a multistage hot press.
 3. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said carrier structure includes a system of sprockets rotatably mounted on said framework and endless chains engaged with said sprockets and with said pusher and restrainer units for carrying said pusher and restrainer units to move sheets on said racks, said pusher and restrainer units as carried having attainable positions leading inside multiple stages of a multistage hot press thus for said pusher and restrainer units and said stops to restrain sheets on said racks to move onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of said racks out of a multistage hot press.
 4. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said framework is vertically movably carried supporting said racks and said pusher and restrainer means for bringing each of said racks successively into a loading station and vertically moving said racks into alignment with multiple stages of a multistage hot press, and there being sheet stack elevating and horizontal feed means for elevating a stack of sheets and feeding sheets generally horizontally off the top of the stack onto said successive racks in said loading station.
 5. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said framework carries said pusher and restrainer means and is vertically movably carried for aligning said racks horizontally with multiple stages of a multistage hot press and for said pusher and restrainer means as carried to move sheets on said racks and have attainable positions leading inside multiple stages of a multistage hot press thus for said pusher and restrainer means and said stops to restrain sheets on said racks to move onto a multistage hot press within multiple stages of the latter during horizontal movement of said racks out of a multistage hot press.
 6. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 5 having sheet stack elevating and horizontal feed means for elevating a stack of sheets and feeding sheets generally horizontally off the top of the stack onto successive ones of said racks presented to said sheet stack elevating and horizontal feed means in corresponding vertical positions of said vertically movably carried framework.
 7. In apparatus for feeding sheets to a multistage hot press, the combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said positioning means includes a pair of stops for each of a plurality of stages of a multistage hot press for each pair of said stops to be moved into a stage of a multistage hot press and engage opposite end portions of the rearward edge of a sheet forward on one of said racks for restraining a sheet to move onto a multistage hot press during horizontal movement of said rack away from a stage of a multistage hot press. 